Supplies - Canon Specialty Print Media - Storage

Canon Media Storage and Loading Facts

Storage Facts

Prior to use, paper should be allowed to acclimate for at least 48 Hours in the environment in which it will be used. The optimum storage environment for paper is between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit and 50% relative humidity.

Unused printing materials should be placed in a sealed moisture proof package and stored laying flat, taking the 'Copy this side first' orientation into consideration. The original packaging can be reused as long as it can be resealed to prevent moisture infiltration. Excessive paper curl can result from large, sudden, or uneven changes in the moisture content of the paper. This can cause jams and misfeeds in the printer/copier, or poor stacking in the output tray.

Paper contamination results from fibers that are insufficiently bonded to the paper surface. This can contaminate internal printer/copier components with loose fibers (paper dust or fuzz) resulting in additional maintenance. More specifically, excessive paper fiber contamination can cause premature developer failure, and can accumulate in the fuser system causing oil streaking and general copy quality problems. In general, papers with high rag content and bond papers create the most fiber particles.

Loading Facts

Observe the 'copy this side first' recommendations that are usually indicated on the paper ream label. Many times the manufacturer will create stock with slightly different finishes on each side. They direct you as to the side you should be printing on for maximum efficiency.

Observe the paper orientation recommendations for the printer/copier. Some machines require face down feeding and some face up, depending on the feed source. This will be determined by the paper feeding source, whether it be manual feed, stack bypass, cassette, etc. The 'flipping' motion of the paper source will determine how the paper should be fed.

When opening a new ream of paper, it is a good idea to discard the first and last sheet of paper. They usually have dried glue on them that can cause jams and damage photosensitive drums.

Before loading paper, fan the sheets on all four sides. This creates a small layer of air between the sheets, and should help the printer/copier feeding mechanisms.

Load all printing materials according to the instructions in the printer/copier owner's manual. It is usually recommended to feed heavier paper from the manual feed tray, or the straightest path through the printer/copier.